Occisor
by faedregur
Summary: The Titans are normal teenagers, attending the local Jump City High. However, an unsolved murder sparks events that will turn them into a team. RobStar, BBRae, CyBee
1. Roller Coaster

Chapter One

_Roller Coaster_

To some, it was a playground. To others, it was misery. To few, it was a place of academic achievement.

To all, it was a roller coaster of disappointment, happiness, anger, tediousness, elatedness, excitement, fun, disbelief… Up and down in a hectic motion beyond any fair ride.

The words "Jump City High School" were innocently emblazoned on the front wall, giving no warning of the experience beyond.

Bee switched her weight to her other hip, the hints of a confident smile tugging at her lips. Her dark eyes slowly scanned the school, taking in the boisterous crowd and the towering building. Though unfamiliar with this school, Bee had attended other high schools and was familiar with the setting.

She took a step forward, but was quickly intercepted by a flash of brown and yellow knocking her off her feet.

"Oomph," Bee gasped, the breath knocked out of her. Disorientated, she gazed up at the lazy clouds from her position on the ground.

A head, framed by long blonde hair, popped into her vision. "Wow, I'm sooo sorry!" the girl exclaimed, leaning over Bee's fallen form. "Are you okay?" She offered her a helpful hand, which Bee gratefully took, pulling herself up.

It took her a moment to find the girl again, as, at first, it didn't occur to her to look down.

"My name's Terra!" the girl introduced brightly. She was tiny – she didn't quite reach Bee's shoulder. However, despite her delicate stature, her blue eyes shone with hidden strength.

"Hey. You can call me Bee."

"Cool!" Terra squinted, examining her closely, before concluding, "You must be new." Before Bee could respond, Terra exclaimed, "Oh! You _have_ to meet my friends. They'll _love_ you." Grabbing Bee's hand, she pulled her enthusiastically towards a distant metal picnic table.

Surprised and somewhat bewildered at the open friendlessness of this girl she barely knew, Bee fell uncharacteristically silent and concentrated on keeping up with Terra's fast pace.

Around the table was a widely assorted group of people. First, Terra pointed out a pair standing a ways from the picnic table. "See the one in the dark clothes? The one who looks seriously annoyed? That's Raven. And the guy off to her side, trying to get her attention? That's Gar. They're both pretty cool, but Raven can get really moody, and Gar does a lot of incredibly stupid things. Like bugging Raven."

She then led Bee to the picnic table and sat down across from a trio of people. "Hey, guys! This is Bee," Terra introduce, wildly gesticulating.

A girl directly across from Bee leaped up. She was exotically beautiful, with long red hair and enormous green eyes. She leaned across the table and exclaimed quickly, "Hello, friend Bee! I am Kori. Tell me, please, what is your favorite color?"

Taken aback by the girl's sudden close proximity, Bee managed, "Er… Yellow and black."

"Glorious!" Kori exclaimed, throwing her arms wildly in the air. The boy next to her grinned, and grabbing her around her waist, pulled her into his lap. Kori smiled up at him and leaned into his chest.

"I'm Dick," he said. He had impressive black spike hair and wore sunglasses that seemed to blend into his face.

Suddenly, Kori squealed in realization and whipped out a small notebook. "I almost forgot!" she announced and, flipping to an open page, wrote down Bee's name and her two favorite colors.

"Kori makes clothes," Terra clarified, correctly interpreting Bee's strange look.

"Cool," Bee said calmly, flashing a smile at Kori. Kori grinned widely, but erupted into giggles when Dick began tickling her.

Leaning towards Terra, she murmured, "Are they going out?"

"No," Terra replied. "Yes. Well, not really."

Bee raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they've been best friends ever since Kori moved here from Asia, so they're really close. I'd say they're halfway there, though."

Across from them, Dick gently brushed away a strand of hair dancing in front of Kori's face, as smile lighting on both their lips.

"I see." Looking down the table, Bee asked, "Who's the guy down there?"

"Wow, I _completely_ forgot! That's Vic. He's _always_ building things. That or playing football."

"Huh," Bee replied.

Vic was enormous, and seeing her crouched over, tinkering with a miniature machine was almost comical.

She quickly turned her attention back to Terra when the blonde hit herself on the forehead. "I'm supposed to be meeting Roy at his archery practice! I have _such_ a short attention span." Addressing Bee, she added, "That's where I was rushing off to this morning. See ya!" She tore off again, barely more than a blur.

Bee sighed and shook her head. Not wanting to interrupt the pair across from her, and frightened by an enraged Raven yelling at a cowering Gar, she slid down the bench until she was near Vic. "Whatcha making, Sparky?"

Wincing at the newfound nickname, he replied vaguely, "Hold on… Almost done…" Finally, a tiny light flickered on in the device. "Booyah!" Vic shouted. "I did it!"

Gar rushed over. "Dude, you finished? That's awesome!" The two high-fived.

Bee cocked her head to the side. "Well, what does it do?"

After a lengthy victory dance, Vic replied, "It allows us to connect out video games wirelessly across the world!"

"… What's the point in that?" Bee inquired, sarcasm fringing her voice.

"So we have practically unlimited opponents! Now, we can spend more time playing games and never grow bored!" Vic replied heatedly.

"Wouldn't you rather be doing something more productive than video games?"

The duo stared at her blankly.

Silently, Raven walked up to her. "Don't bother. They'll never get it," she advised flatly.

"Well, I still think it's stupid," Bee replied loudly, her eyes twinkling deviously.

The boys, too elated about the gizmo to bother defending their game against the sharp barb, returned to their whooping.

Bee sighed and turned back to Raven. "I'm Bee."

"Raven. Nice to meet you."

Kori bounced up, surprisingly without Dick. However, a quick glance around revealed that he was dancing with Vic and Gar, all of them looking utterly ridiculous. "Friend Bee! I have a question for you!" Catching sight of Raven, she added brightly, "Hello, friend Raven! I hope that you did not inflict too much bodily harm on Gar." Returning to Bee, she continued, "Do you prefer pants of skirts?"

"Pants," Bee replied decisively.

Before Kori could continue, a sharp ringing cut through the air. Bee winced.

"C'mon, you guys! We're gonna be late!" Gar yelled, running past them towards the school. To Raven's dismay, he grabbed her hand and dragged her along with him.

Wasting no time, the rest of the group sprinted behind them.

When they ran, gasping for air, through the double doors, however, no one was in class. Instead, there was a huge crowd gathered by the wall, dead silent. The group slowed their pace, exchanging uneasy glances. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, foreboding something unpleasant.

Vic easily pushed through the crowd, the others following in his wake. The sight in the middle of the crowd was, indeed, unpleasant.

Hanging by a rope around her neck was a dead girl, her long hair covering her face.

Kori gasped and leaned into Dick, who grabbed her hand comfortingly. Someone behind Bee screamed and began to wail, sparking an uproar.

A polished, professional woman, presumably the principal, waded through the crowd with a megaphone. "Everyone get to class! Now!" She repeated it numerous times, lacing in threats. Slowly, the crowd began to disperse.

Bee, one of the last to leave, heard the wail of police sirens as they neared the school.

-

Bee gazed around her first period class. No one was paying attention to the teacher, and the teacher herself was quiet and distracted.

A few girls were sobbing out in the hall, having run out after only a few minutes.

Everyone else, though, was silent. The possibility of a murderer, a serial killer, had been brought up, and no one could dispel it from their minds.

Bee had ridden the high school roller coaster before, but she had never experienced this dip: mass fear.

-

**A.N. **– Not much romance, yet… Next chapter will be with Raven.

FDG


	2. Devious Plotting

Chapter Two

_Devious Plotting_

A few days later, the body was removed and the police began to leave the site. The cause of death had been determined suicide, mostly because of a note that had been found by her feet. It stated in bold letters, "GOODBYE".

Raven furrowed her eyebrows in contemplation, ignoring the teacher droning at the front of the room. Finally, she raised her hand and asked for a bathroom pass.

The teacher simply nodded and handed it to her, leaving no lull in her tedious speech.

Gar watched her go, his eyebrows similarly furrowed.

-

Avoiding the bathroom completely, Raven headed to the site of the girl's demise. There were still a few policemen, taking their last notes, and yellow tape ringed the area. She stopped and leaned over the tape, her eyes sharp.

After a few minutes of silence, something poked her side. Inhaling sharply, Raven whirled around to meet Gar's gaze. "Oh, it's only you," Raven said, too relieved to make a sharp comment.

"Jumpy today, eh?" Gar chuckled. Raven sighed and turned back around. Gar, following her gaze, added, "The police say it's a suicide, you know. You don't need to be frightened anymore."

Raven rolled her eyes, but restrained a defensive remark because his concern was almost… touching. "I don't think it _was _a suicide."

Gar frowned. "But the police say…"

"They've been wrong before," Raven interjected. She paused for thought, then continued, "I want a closer look at the note."

"They don't have it here anymore."

"It's probably at the police headquarters, then…" Raven trailed off, and a small smile began to flicker on her face. Gar looked on with fear.

"This is gonna sound strange, coming from me… But, Rae, I hope you're not thinking of doing something stupid."

She turned around and began to stride away. Gar turned sharply to follow her and tripped over his feet. Flustered, he sprung back up and declared, "I'm okay!"

Sighing, Raven paused and waited for him to catch up.

-

The cafeteria was bustling – rectangular tables were crowded next to each other in not quite even rows, and every table was filled past capacity.

Raven was the first at their table, having the sense to bring a bag lunch and avoid the dreadful hot lunch. Terra was next, as she had forcefully shoved her way through the lunch line.

Raven, wishing to avoid conversation with the loud blonde girl, retrieved a notebook from her bag and began to write poems. For some reason, Terra frayed her patience quicker than anyone else.

Knowing better than to talk to Raven when she was writing, Terra whipped out a pile of rocks from her pocket and began examining them. Geology fascinated Terra to no end, and her knowledge of rocks was extensive.

Vic, Bee, and Gar sat down simultaneously, instantly breaking the silence. Vic and Bee were in the midst of a heated argument, though it was apparent that both were enjoying the banter.

"No way. IBMs are so better than Macintoshs!"

"Are you kidding? Everyone knows that Macs almost never get viruses."

Raven sighed, not impressed with the intellectual level of their discussion. Violet eyes scanned the lunchroom, waiting for someone.

"I like Dell," Gar interjected. The pair arguing paused, stared at him, then returned to their discussion. Gar frowned, sulking.

Dick and Kori sat down together, chatting easily. Dick had a casual arm draped over her shoulder. Roy followed soon after, twirling an arrow with nimble fingers. Like Dick, he wore sunglasses, but his hair was a dull orange instead of black.

Raven put away her poetry and leaned across the table. "Kori! I need to talk to you."

Kori looked up. "What is it?"

"Over here," Raven hissed, gesturing to the far end of the table. Kori shot Dick an apologetic glance before following Raven to the other end.

"What is it that our friends can not overhear?" Kori inquired.

"Promise to keep it a secret?"

Kori nodded emphatically.

"Well…" Raven leaned in closer. "I'm going to break into the police headquarters."

"You're going to do _what_?" Kori exclaimed loudly. The rest of the group looked up, curious, and subtly slid down the table, closer to the whispering pair.

"Shhh!" Raven hissed. Kori's hands flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened, begging forgiveness.

"But… why?"

"I don't think that the girl's death was a suicide."

Kori mulled this over in her head, before asking, "What is it that I can do?"

"I'm going to need a disguise to sneak in. Could you make me a police uniform?"

"Of course." She then added, "But I'm coming with." Ignoring Raven's frown, she added, "And you should tell our friends, as well."

"No," Raven replied firmly.

"Why not?" Kori asked, hurt.

Raven looked down at her hands and mumbled, "I don't want to have anyone else involved if I get caught."

Kori's eyes softened, but she repeated, "You should tell them. We can help."

Gar's head popped up from under the table. "Of course we can!"

"Wha?" Raven emitted, taken aback by his sudden appearance.

Dick's head appeared on the other side of the table. "I was wondering about the girl's death, as well… It seemed suspicious."

Vic emerged next to Gar and added, "And I'm sure you could use my mad skills." Bee popped up next to him and snorted.

Roy and Terra appeared simultaneously and said, "Just tell us what to do." They looked at each other and laughed.

Raven sighed. "All right. Just give me a moment to work you guys in." She closed her eyes and began to think hard.

Everyone cheered, but fell silent and waited for Raven to formulate a plan.

Finally, her eyes slowly opened and she said, "Okay, here's what we're going to do…"


	3. Spinning Chairs, Blueprints, and WalkieT...

**A.N. – **Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to **Fireyfly** and **k0r1and'r**! Thanks bunches for reviewing!

Chapter Three

_Spinning Chairs, Blueprints, and Walkie-Talkies_

Terra strode confidently through the City Hall, winking suggestively at a group of cat-calling boys. She reached the front desk and flashed an easy smile at the attendant.

"How may I help you?" the attendant asked, obviously bored, as she filed her fingernails.

"I'm Carrie's daughter, and she asked me to get the blueprints for the police headquarters."

The attendant looked up, quickly recognized her, and nodded. "Sure." She sighed, got up and returned with the rolled up blueprints. She waved Terra away and returned to her nails.

Terra smirked and scampered out of the building. It was very fortunate that her mother was the head architect for redesigning the headquarters.

-

Gar looked down at the walkie-talkie he had clenched in his hand as it began to crackle. Terra's voice, barely audible, came through. "_I have the blueprints. McCormick's office is on the seventh floor, by the elevator. Over."_

Gar turned to Raven. "She has the blueprints," he repeated.

"I heard her the first time," Raven replied, rolling her eyes. Addressing the rest of the group, she announced, "On to Act 2."

-

Gar and Raven peered around the corner of the police headquarters as two janitors took out the trash. Moving quickly, they slid forward and pressed two of the shocking devices Bee had invented on their backs. Seconds later, their bodies convulsed and they slid down, unconscious.

The pair dragged the janitors behind the dumpster. They carefully removed their tent-like green outfits and threw them on. Raven, fortunately, had the garments of a shorter man.

Gar was not so lucky. "Dude, this thing is huge!"

Raven stifled a chuckle as massive folds enveloped him. "Just… Belt it up or something." She returned to the fallen janitor and removed a ring of keys from his belt. She jangled them next to her appreciative ear. "Let's go."

Gar followed slowly behind her, holding up the giant pants.

-

Bee stood in the front room, nervously shifting her weight from side to side. "You sure you can jam the security cameras?" she murmured into the receiver on her shirt collar.

"_I'm ready when you are,"_ Vic replied.

Sighing, she waited until the room was completely empty before sneaking behind the receptionist. The receptionist was engrossed in a beauty magazine, completely oblivious to everything around her.

Slowly, Bee retrieved one of her shocking devices and placed it on the woman's back. Moments later, the woman slumped to the floor. Bee rolled her underneath the desk and sat in her chair.

After twirling once in the chair, she leaned over to the phone and called McCormick's office.

"Officer McCormick?" she inquired, pinching her nose to make her voice high and nasally. "There's someone at the front desk to see you."

"No, it can't wait."

"Yes, it is very important."

"Very good, sir. Come down as soon as you can."

Bee giggled, satisfied, as she hung up the phone. She got out of the chair and sat the unconscious receptionist in it. When she regained consciousness, she would think that she had simply fallen asleep.

Bee strode out of headquarters. Seconds later, the security camera blinked back on.

-

Raven and Gar slowly pushed a cart of cleaning supplies by McCormick's office. Finally, the disgruntled officer left his room, locked it, and strode down the hallway.

Gar retrieved his walkie-talkie, and, after glancing around shiftily, said, "Agent Beast to Agent Bird. The leprechaun has left his pot. I repeat, the leprechaun has left his pot."

Raven prodded him with the mop handle. "I'm right here."

"Right." Gar smiled crookedly, flustered, and scratched the back of his neck.

Moving quickly, Raven unhooked the ring of keys from her belt and began inserting them into the lock systematically. Finally, the lock clicked and the door swung open.

Leaving the cart in the hall, the pair strode in. "Be very careful," Raven whispered, adjusting her gloves.

Gar imitated her, and snapped his glove on his wrist. "Ow," he groaned.

Raven shot him a glare and began searching the officer's desk, a nagging sense of guilt overcoming her. Gar began to search in the filing cabinets.

At last, Gar found a manila folder for the case in one of the cabinets. "Found it," he announced with pride.

Raven looked up. "Nice job." She smiled, and Gar blushed. "Let's go."

They slinked out of the room, similar to their entrance, and began to push the cart again.

At last, Roy and Dick came into view. They wore police uniforms sewed by Kori, as no one wanted to risk knocking out a policeman. Their shiny badges were exact copies created by Vic.

Quick and nimble-fingered, Dick took the folder from Gar and secreted it in his uniform. Roy saluted them, and the pair walked away.

Gar glared at their retreating backs in envy. "How come they get to be police officers and we have to be janitors?"

Raven sighed and explained, "They look the part and we don't."

Gar looked her over, and then examined himself. Raven was pale and skinny, looking as if she had never worked out in her life. Gar, though somewhat muscular, was rather short in stature. "I guess I see your point."

They pushed the cart into the elevator and the doors sealed shut behind them.

-

The group rendezvoused at the park. Bee was shaking in laughter. "That was actually kind of fun!" Terra nodded in agreement, her mouth curved in a seemingly perpetual smile.

Raven frowned. "You do realize how much trouble we could've gotten in?"

"But we pulled it off!" Vic crowed, and high-fived Gar.

"It was too easy," Dick stated. "The police need to improve their security."

Roy glanced down at his watch. "Well, this has been great and all, but I have an archery competition that I need to get to."

"And I'm watching," Terra interjected. "See ya guys later!" The two walked off together, laughing about the recent escapade.

Vic and Bee stood up together. "We're going to my football practice. I'm gonna prove to Bee that football is the best sport _ever_."

"Ha, you wish! Everyone knows that basketball is better."

Kori rose and brushed off her long, floral skirt. "Dick and I are seeing a film at the theater." She smiled up at Dick, and turned back to Raven. "Do you wish to join us, Raven?"

"No, I'm okay…" Raven replied, flashing them a weak smile.

"I want to see the file when you're done, alright?" Dick said. The two walked off together, their hands clasped.

Raven sighed as she watched the retreating couples. Slowly, she crossed her legs and closed her eyes, falling into the familiar trance that accompanies meditation.

Soon after, something poking her interrupted her peace. Irritated, she opened one eye and asked, "What?"

Gar grinned sheepishly and quickly retracted the finger he was poking her with. Scratching his neck, he said, "Well, I was wondering… If, you know, you need help figuring out the file or something."

Raven opened her other eye and lowered her hands. "Well, I suppose two heads are better than one…" The smallest trace of a smile graced her face. She opened up the folder and began, "Let's look at the note, first."

Gar nodded enthusiastically and leaned closer to her under the pretense of getting a better view of the folder.


	4. Mr Harvlin

Chapter Four

_Mr. Harvlin_

The room was dark, except for the giant flashing screen. Dick and Kori were seated near the middle of the theater, engrossed in the comedy playing before them.

Eventually, Kori turned to Dick with a small smile on her face. "Raven and Gar are cute together, yes?"

"Yeah…" Dick said, distracted by the eyelash on her cheek. He reached out to brush it away, then turned beet red and quickly retracted his hand, glad of the theater's darkness. "Listen, Kori, I need to tell you something."

Kori cocked her head to one side. "What is it?"

"I… I…" he began. He looked down at his hands, attempting to work up courage. "I'm… thirsty."

"Oh…" Kori said, giving him a strange look. "Do you want me to come with you to the stand of candy and soda?"

"No… Actually, I'm feeling better now." He gave her a reassuring smile, and she returned her attention to the screen.

Disappointed in himself, Dick hit his forehead. "Oh, ow…"

Kori turned back around. "Are you sure you are feeling all right?" She leaned across to feel his forehead with the back of her hand.

Flushed red, he backed away. "I'm fine," he replied, nursing his head.

Kori, about to inquire further, caught sight of something on the screen. "Glorious! That dress is marvelous!" She whipped out her notebook and began to sketch.

Dick sighed and sunk back into his seat.

-

A few days later, Raven swung slowly on one of the swings in the park, extremely frustrated. She couldn't find anything in the file that suggested murder – and the note, which she thought would become a lead, was definitely in the girl's handwriting.

Dick, who was swinging next to her, handed the folder back. "Let's face it… Maybe she did commit suicide, after all."

Raven closed her eyes. "It doesn't make sense, though! She was surrounded by friends and family, and everyone said that she was always happy." She thought back to the conversations she had with the girl's friends and added, "She even received a love letter the day before she died!"

Dick sighed and stood up. "The human mind is a mystery. She was probably suffering from manic depression or another illness. Anyway, I have to run – I promised Bruce that I'd meet him." He waved and strode away to his parked motorcycle.

Raven sighed and put the folder away in her backpack, resigned.

-

A few weeks later, most had all but forgotten about the suicide. In addition, the police had decided that the short, missing sections in their security feed were simply technological malfunctions, leaving the group off the hook.

Raven sat in the back of Vic's car, tapping her fingers on her leg. Vic and Bee were arguing in the front, leaving her alone and bored. She sighed, crossed her legs, and uncrossed them again.

Suddenly, they passed by Gar walking on the side of the road. He had been walking to school everyday as some form of a strike to get money for a moped from his parents. So far, his ploy had been unsuccessful.

Vic pulled over and rolled down the window. "Hop in!"

"Dude, you know I can't!" Gar responded after a moment of indecision.

"One day off won't hurt," Vic replied, gesturing wildly for him to get in.

Gar smiled and hopped into the back seat. Raven moved over to give him room. "Hey, Raaaven," Gar began cajolingly.

She sighed. "What do you want?"

He grinned. "Did you get finish the math assignment?"

Before she had a chance to reprimand him, Vic pulled over again. This time, Roy was the one walking. "Where's your car, man?" Vic asked.

"It's in the shop," Roy responded. "I totaled it in a drag race."

"Well, get in!"

Roy gratefully jumped in the backseat. Raven moved over again, now next to the opposite door.

"So, about that math assignment…"

"Hey, guys!" someone shouted outside the car. Vic pulled over when they saw Terra rollerblading down the sidewalk. "Can I get a ride?" she asked. "My feet are killing me."

"Sure!" Vic responded. Terra sat down next to Roy, and Raven moved over again, now pressed against the door.

"So, Raaaven," Gar began again.

"Hey, guys!" Vic interrupted, yelling out the window.

Kori and Dick were walking together, conversing quietly about something. When they saw Vic, they both broke into huge smiles. "Hey, Vic!" Dick shouted. "A friend is borrowing my bike today."

"You let someone borrow your bike?" Vic said in disbelief.

"It was really important," Dick explained.

"Well, hop in!"

Dick and Kori pushed into the back seat, Kori sitting on Dick's lap. Raven, similarly, was pushed into Gar's lap. To her surprise, he didn't ask about the math homework. Rather, he seemed to be breathing heavily.

The car soon became filled with noise, as everyone tried to talk above the music Vic was blasting. Finally, Dick shouted, "You know, this is probably illegal." Everyone simply laughed.

Finally, they pulled up at the school and everyone tumbled out just as the bell rang.

"We're gonna be late!" Vic shouted, and everyone ran for the door, still laughing.

Gar paused for a second and look at Raven, seemingly wanting to say something. Instead, he flashed her a small smile and scampered away, leaving her bewildered.

-

Kori, Raven, and Terra flew into their first hour class and slid into their table at the back. The young teacher at the front, Mr. Harvlin, shook his head in mock disapproval and winked. Terra and Kori sighed dreamily.

"Remind me why we're taking Drama again?" Raven inquired flatly.

"Because Mr. Harvlin's soo handsome, of course!" Terra exclaimed, tearing her eyes away from the teacher. Kori, still staring at him, leaned her head on her propped elbow.

"I think I might switch into Shop with Vic. Or Art with Bee."

"And miss the opportunity to look at him everyday?" Terra asked, astonished.

Raven watched the attractive teacher smile brightly at a group of adoring girls and shuddered. "He gives me the creeps."

Terra and Kori, however, didn't hear her as they admired the teacher.

-

After class, Raven traversed to the office. "Excuse me," she told the elderly lady at the desk. The woman didn't look up. "Excuse me," she repeated, slightly louder. Again, the woman didn't respond. "Excuse me!" Raven said, growing annoyed. The elderly lady slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. "EXCUSE ME!" Raven yelled uncharacteristically. The woman jolted awake and noticed her.

"Why, hello, dearie! How can I help you?"

Returning to her normal voice level, Raven told her, "I'd like to switch one of my classes."

The woman cocked an ear. "I'm sorry, dearie, but you'll have to speak up."

"I'D LIKE TO SWITCH ONE OF MY CLASSES!" Raven said loudly, clearly enunciating each word.

The woman looked at her, hurt. "Well, you didn't have to shout." Raven sighed and apologized. Satisfied, the woman looked through her computer. "Well, the only classes with open slots are Dance," Raven shuddered. "and Art."

"I'd like to switch into Art, please," Raven said, picking a volume between the two.

"And what did you say your name was?"

"Raven."

The woman slowly typed into the computer, and then turned back to Raven. "Okay. I'm sending a memo to the teacher right now. You should go to the Art room first thing tomorrow."

Raven, after thanking her, turned to leave. To her surprise, she found Gar walking in. "Why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm switching my elective," he replied, and showed her his swelled and purple thumb. "Shop really isn't my thing."

Raven winced appreciatively, and said, "I just switched to Art."

"Art, eh?" Gar said, and smiled.


	5. Garth and Kitten

**A.N. **– 'Nother quick review shout-out.

**gladdecease – **Occisor means "murderer" in Latin. Pretty lame, I know, but I'm horrible with coming up with titles. Now, I generally make them in a different language so that they don't seem as corny. - Well, thanks for your compliments! And… Are you studying Japanese, too? I'm trying to teach myself, and, admittedly, I'm making very little progress.

**Fireyfly – **Love ya, as always. Thanks for all the pointers and things!

**They-Call-Me-Orange **and Rose – Thanks for the compliments! They mean the world to me. 

Chapter Five

_Garth and Kitten_

The next morning, Raven strode into the unfamiliar art room before the first bell. Instead of desks, it contained multiple square tables scattered in a seemingly random fashion around the room.

She found Bee sitting at one in the corner and went to join her.

"Hey, girl," Bee said with a smile. "I'm glad you switched into Art."

"Me too," Raven responded. "I couldn't stand Mr. Harvlin anymore."

Bee shuddered. "I know what you mean."

"You mean… You agree with me?" Raven asked, shocked. Every other female she had talked to was smitten with him.

"He's… Too perfect."

The bell rang, splitting everyone's eardrums. Bee glared at it. "I hate that thing."

Gar raced into the room, late as always. He slid into a chair next to Raven, panting and gasping for breath. He looked down and stopped his stopwatch. "Better than usual," he said with a smile.

"But still late," Raven reminded him.

A large, portly woman swept into the room. She was wearing multiple, brightly covered scarves and a beaded head dress. "Welcome, class!" she said cheerfully. "Today, we will be _painting_." She sighed as she said the word, as if it were the reason to live.

The trio grabbed easels, paper, and paint at the front of the room, and returned to their table to begin. The teacher had not specified a subject, so all the paintings were vastly different.

After a time, Gar emitted a heartfelt groan, drawing the girl's attention. Paint covered his face and was stuck in his hair, and his frown only made it more comical. Bee laughed heartily, and Raven had a hard time restraining a chuckle. "I hate art," he grumbled. "I'm no good at it."

"Then why'd you join?" Bee asked between bouts of laughter.

Gar's eyes flicked to Raven, then back to Bee. "There weren't any other open classes."

Raven blushed.

-

The group was together for Math second period. As soon as Terra entered, she rushed over squealing. "Did you hear? There's a new student!"

"…So?" Roy asked.

"He's _really _cute!" Terra exclaimed. An unfamiliar boy entered the room, and Terra squealed again. "That's him."

He spotted the group and strode over. "Hey, Terra," he greeted. He flashed a perfect smile and tossed back his dark hair.

"Hey, Garth," Terra squeaked. She then turned and gestured to her friends in turn, "This is Vic, Bee, Gar, Dick…"

Before she could finish, Kori had latched on to Garth's arm. "I'm Kori," she said, staring up into his eyes.

Raven edged up to him on his other side. "Raven," she said simply, and shone a rare smile. Gar growled.

The bell rung, commanding them to sit down. "Come sit with me!" Kori exclaimed, leading him over to one side of the room. Raven sat on his other side, and Terra immediately situated herself in front. Terra and Kori then began barraging him with questions, both of them flirtatiously flipping their hair. Raven simply flushed and occasionally put in her input.

The boys sat on the other side of the room. Dick and Gar sulked, while Roy and Vic laughed. Bee joined them, feeling no attraction for the handsome student.

-

Later, Dick and Kori walked to lunch together. Kori was chattering away, and, though Dick usually didn't mind, he didn't particularly like the subject of the conversation.

"You know, friend Garth is really quite… cute, would you say?" Kori repeated.

"I suppose."

"I think he might even be cuter than Mr. Harvlin!"

"So you've said."

Suddenly, a friend of Kori's rushed up to them. "Kori! Have you seen the new guy? Isn't he the hottest guy you've ever seen?"

Kori and her friend walked away from Dick, giggling and occasionally squealing.

Sulking again, Dick sat down at their table.

"Don't worry," Bee assured him, leaning over the table. "It's just a crush. She'll get over it soon."

"I wasn't worried," Dick replied quickly.

Bee and Vic exchanged knowing looks.

-

Kori walked to her next class, conspicuously alone. For reasons she didn't know, Dick had decided not to walk her to class.

Kitten and her friends, a group of people that had always taken great pains to bother Kori, saw her walk past. They separated and began to walk around her. "So, where's your protector now?" one jeered.

Kori, determined to ignore them, walked on.

"Ew, look at her skirt," one said. Self-consciously, Kori looked down at her long skirt.

"She must have gotten it used." They laughed.

"And her shirt is the ugliest thing I have ever seen!"

Kori frowned. She made all of her clothes herself.

"And her hair is so long and gross! She's so ugly, it's a wonder she even has any friends."

Tears beginning to prick her eyes, she ran away, tripping over her skirt. The girls laughed and hooted, continuing to throw insults at her retreating back.

Not wishing to go to class, she threw herself on to the lawn behind the school, sobbing. Slowly, she sat up and reached into her purse. Shakily, she drew a pair of scissors out of it and poised them next to her hair.

Before she could snap them closed, though, a hand reached down to stop her. Surprised, she looked up. "Garth?"

"Don't cut your hair. It's beautiful," he said, sitting down next to her.

"No, it's not," she replied, gasping for air as she sobbed.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Her sobs slowly subsiding, she said, "I'm ugly. I shouldn't have such wonderful friends."

Frowning, Garth looked at her hard. "Your friends love you because of who you are, not because of how you look. Anyway," he smiled, "you're definitely not ugly. Whoever told you that is just jealous."

Kori smiled, but, surprisingly, didn't feel any fluttering in her stomach at his compliment.

He stood up. "Well, I have to go meet my girlfriend at the pool. But, remember Kori, I'm here if you ever need me."

Kori smiled and waved as he left. She found that she didn't care about his girlfriend – she'd much rather have him as a friend.

Slowly, she got up and wiped away her tears. She felt a sudden urge to talk to Dick – he always made her feel better, and he could dispel the few insecurities she still had because of Kitten and gang.

She found him on the other side of the school, talking to a friend. She almost ran up to greet him, until she recognized his company.

He was laughing and talking with Kitten.

Shocked and hurt, Kori backed away. Dick, spotting her, left Kitten and jogged over. "Hey!"

Kori slowly backed up.

Dick frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Actually, I am not feeling very well," she managed to choke out before she turned and ran away.

Dick watched her go, dumbfounded. Behind him, Kitten smirked.

-

Kori found Bee and Terra after school and approached them.

"Hey!" they both greeted brightly.

Kori smiled, glad to know that they would always stick by her. "I was wondering… Would you take me to the mall of shopping?"

Terra and Bee exchanged looks. "You mean… You actually want to go shopping?"

Kori nodded decisively.

"Awesome!" Terra exclaimed. "Oh, I saw the cutest skirt yesterday that would look fantastic on you!"


	6. Revenge Tastes Sweet

**A.N. – **Thank you guys so much for reviewing! It brightens up my day. -

**gladdecease** – Yeah, they offer Japanese at my school, as well, but I opted to stick with Latin. Ah, well. About the names, though… I got Roy and Garth from reading similar A/U fics, and I have no idea if they are the comic book character's real names. Frankly, the only comics I have ever read were "Archies" when I was younger. If you don't count manga.

**writerofmoredoom – **Thanks for the disclaimer catch! I completely forgot. -.-' And, I don't really know who was murdered. I made the murder really impersonal (and really sudden), so I figure its best if she doesn't have an identity.

Rose – Um… Actually, I don't know why Dick was talking to Kitten. Question about the homework in class, perhaps? -

**They-Call-Me-Orange **– I tried to put in some more BBRae in this chapter… Hope you enjoy it! -

**Neko Starfire – **Er… Actually, neither. I might put in girl talk later, though! In any case, thanks bunches for your review.

**PinkFlamingo44 – **Lol! I know _exactly _what you mean… Or else I wouldn't have it in the story! -

StarRob – Thanks! I plan to keep writing about this length – it's been working pretty well for me. Well, so far, at least. -

And, now! The long- awaited (but admittably not very impressive) disclaimer!

**Disclaimer: **I don't claim ownership to anything written in this story, except for, perhaps, the title.

Er… I'm not very good with disclaimers… Does that work?

Chapter Six

_Revenge Tastes Sweet_

Kori walked down the hall the next day, flanked by Terra and Bee, to catcalls and admiring stares. Self-conscious, she smoothed down her mini-skirt and straightened the tight, revealing shirt. Terra had helped her put on make-up that morning, and the unfamiliar substance felt caked on and uncomfortable.

The trio passed by Dick, Vic, Gar, and Roy without a glance. Dick blatantly stared with his jaw dropped open. Grinning, Vic leaned over and pushed his chin up with a finger. "Snap out of it, lover boy."

Ignoring Vic's comment, or perhaps not hearing it, Dick mumbled to himself, "Why is she dressed like that?"

"She's probably trying to impress Garth," Roy replied quickly. He and Vic burst out laughing.

Dick frowned.

-

"Today, class, we're going to make _sculptures_," the art teacher announced. Heavy make-up adorned her face, and ribbons were tied throughout her frizzy hair.

Gar, his hands already deep in clay, leaned over to Bee. "Do you know what's up with Kori?"

"What do you mean?" Bee replied coolly.

"You know what I mean." Bee raised an eyebrow. "Well, she's wearing store-bought clothes!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"Strange, I know," Bee responded, returning to sculpting the flexible substance. "I think Dick hurt her somehow… She wasn't quite clear."

"Dick? Hurt Kori?" Gar leaned back, shaking his head in incredulity.

Bee nodded. "And now she's not talking to him."

Raven looked up from the beginnings of a bird sculpture. "So… Kori's wearing store-bought clothes, Dick hurt her, and now she's not speaking with him?"

"Beyond weird."

-

Kori walked out of the school, downcast. She'd ignored Dick all through lunch, and she felt empty without his presence beside her.

"Hey, Kori! Wait up!" Dick's familiar voice called out behind her.

Kori, resisting the urge to turn around, pushed back her shoulders and kept walking.

Dick raced up to her and grabbed her arm. "Wait, please. I have to talk to you."

Kori reluctantly turned around, feeling her heart break as he smiled anxiously at her. She had to remind herself that Dick cared about appearances and enjoyed talking to Kitten. In her cloud of hurt, she forgot about all the times he had stuck by her, protecting her from taunts and shielding her from any kind of pain.

"I just… wanted to apologize. For whatever I did." He smiled again, nervous. "And I just wanted to say… Not that you don't look good now and all, because, of course, you always look good, and…" Sensing that he was rambling, he took a deep, calming breath and said, "I thought that you looked great before, too."

Kori gave a watery smile, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and hugged him. That was just what she needed to hear.

Dick exhaled sharply at her tight grip, but slowly relaxed and smiled.

-

After the next day of school, the group rejoined at their usual picnic table. Dick and Kori were walking around together, quietly talking, while Kori's long, feathery skirt flowed gently in the breeze.

Terra watched them, swinging her legs as she perched atop the table. "So… Kori's wearing her own clothes again, and she and Dick are back to being close."

"Everything's back to normal," Gar said with a smile.

"It's a shame about those clothes, though…" Terra continued. "Do you think they'd fit me?"

Laughing, Vic hit her upside the head. "We should celebrate!" he announced, always one for a party.

The faint, melodic sound of a distant ice cream truck drifted on the breeze. "We should go out for ice cream!" Gar exclaimed, suddenly inspired.

Kori, overhearing him, rushed over and clapped her hands. "Yes, dear friends! I much enjoy the cream of ice!" Dick smiled indulgently at her.

The rest conceded, and they all squeezed into Vic's car.

-

Dick slowly raised his spoon, laden with ice cream, and slid it into his mouth. He swallowed, and a blissful smile spread on his face. He was content to simply eat his ice cream and be with his friends – two of his greatest pleasures.

A squealing from the other side of the room broke through the peaceful atmosphere. Disgruntled, Dick looked up from his ice cream and saw Kitten and her friends sitting down at a distant booth. He frowned. Kori had told him all about them terrorizing her, greatly heightening his dislike. Squealing girls had always bothered him.

Suddenly, his frown flipped into a devious grin. Slowly and deliberately, he loaded his spoon with ice cream, bent it back with a single finger and aimed.

The sweet tasting projectile flew through the air and landed in Kitten's hair. Vic snorted into his hand as she slowly reached behind her and fingered the cold, wet substance with manicured hands. When she screamed, Vic started laughing loudly, almost bordering hysteria.

Furious, she whirled around to meet the source of the noise. Vic was rolling around on the floor, and a proud Dick high-fived Roy. "Why, you…" she muttered under her breath, her eyes darkening menacingly. She reached behind her, grabbed her friend's cone, and threw it at Dick.

Dick dodged it and the cone flew straight into Roy's unsuspecting face. He reached up a finger, swiped off a bit of ice cream, and slid it into his mouth. "Mmm… Strawberry," he commented, before throwing his cone at the opposing group.

Vic, immensely entertained, stood up on the table and yelled, "ICE CREAM FIGHT!" The manager sensibly slid into the back room as all hell broke loose. Terra slid over the counter and grabbed an armful of ice cream scoops, arming her team, while one of Kitten's friends did similarly.

Vic carried over a few huge buckets of ice cream to his friends, providing ample ammunition, before he launched himself into the fray.

Kori and Bee positioned themselves on the table by the Chocolate Chip ice cream and kept up a steady onslaught of flying scoops. Roy and Dick attempted more daring shots, flying across the aisle and crawling under tables.

Raven slowly retreated back to a corner, avoiding the fight all together. She had no desire to enter the juvenile war, as she was one to think of the future consequences instead of the present.

Suddenly, Gar popped up in front of her. "I'll protect you, Rae!" he proclaimed with mock-bravery, striking a ridiculous pose. He turned around, and, simultaneously, a scoop of vanilla and one of chocolate struck him in the face. He looked back at Raven, the opposing colors comically dripping down his face.

Raven, not sure what came over her, leaned down to the nearby strawberry bucket. She grabbed some of the melting, cold substance and patted it on to the middle of his face. She stepped back, admiring her handiwork. "There. Neapolitan."

Gar wiped the ice cream off, shocked, before he said, "Oh, I'm soo gonna get you for that, Rae!" He grabbed a handful of the strawberry and advanced toward her.

However, he slipped on a puddle of chocolate and fell forward. Raven, instinctively, attempted to catch him and fell underneath him.

Both were silent, their faces mere inches away. Gar, the ice cream in his hand forgotten, slowly leaned down and…

A low-flying scoop of ice cream hit them both in the face.

Gar rolled off her, blushing under his tanned face. "Er…" he attempted, before whirling around and rejoining the war zone.

Dumbfounded, Raven stood up and brushed herself off.

-

After the war was concluded, the ice cream parlor was left a mess. The walls were covered with multicolored splatters, and the floor was one, large puddle. Someone had found the blender, and blended mixtures slowly dripped down from the ceiling.

The manager, furious at the damage done to his shop, had demanded that they clean up the mess. Kitten and her friends set to work on one side, whining and griping ferociously, while the others worked on the opposite side.

Vic and Bee were set to work on the wall. Silence reigned as both concentrated on the work before them. After a time, Vic began quickly glancing at Bee and looking away.

Bee, irritated, dropped her sponge and placed her hands on hands. "What is it?"

The faintest hint of a flush emerged on Vic's cheeks. "You look… good," he said. "I mean, even with the ice cream and everything."

Bee, taken aback, blushed as well. Smiling, she picked up her sponged and replied, "You too."

Both turned back to wall and began scouring it again. Finally, Vic asked, "So… What do you think of our soccer team this year?"

"They're horrible."

"Yeah, they are, aren't they?"

Shocked that they agreed on something, both stopped working and looked at each other. Quickly, they returned to the wall. An awkward silence reigned.

Finally, Bee resorted to a familiar comment, "You do know that basketball is better than football, right?"

"No way! Football is so much better!"

They smiled at each other before launching into the argument. Though having things in common was cool, both decided, it was much more fun to argue.

-

A ways away, a figure worked in a dark room by the illumination of a single lamp. A mask covered all but his eyes, and those eyes were bright and wide with pleasure. Gloved hands carefully finished the letter, taking care to mask the handwriting. They slowly folded the letter, placed it inside an envelope, and sealed it.

The figure held up the envelope with pleasure. Slowly, he began to cackle, before he broke into a full-fledged evil laugh.


End file.
